


fearful trill

by badAquatic, orphan_account



Series: Trailerstuck [45]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human/Troll Society, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Divorce, Illustrated, M/M, Organized Crime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-02-22
Packaged: 2018-01-13 08:19:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1219168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badAquatic/pseuds/badAquatic, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dirk considers the past while pondering the uneasy future. Also: Jake wrestles a giant bat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. the wolf comes out

**== >Dirk: Be awakened **

Lips press against your neck, making you shudder. You pull away from sleep but it’s hard when you’re so cozy; lying in bed snuggled against him. It’s a warm sticky sleep, like being pulled from a molasses river. The kissing doesn’t stop and you laugh, pushing at the weight on you.

“Okay, you big lug. Get off of me.” you laugh.

“I’ll get off _on_ you but never get off _of_ you. Unless you have a photo—”

You lightly pinch his nose. “That’s enough out of you.”

“I give. I give!” Jake laughs but remains on top of you. “The Trussians have conquered. Young Britain is theirs. Feel free to pillage and do the other thing that typically follows pillaging.”

“We’re out of lube so there’ll be none of that. You’re spared for the moment.”

You try to reach your iHusk on the night stand but Jake pouts and holds onto you. “ _Noooo_ … it’s early in the morning. I want you all to myself before you go into work mode.”

“I’m not going to into work mode. I want to check my messages.”

The pouting intensifies. “He says before he goes running all over the city and I don’t see him until midnight.”

You take his hand and kiss it. “You are an overgrown, hairy child. I’m going to have to teach our kid to be more mature than you.”

Jake smirks and nips your ear. “Maturity? Where’s the fun in that? I prefer to make life as fun as possible. It keeps me young.”

But then your iHusk vibrates, Jake relinquishes you to answer it. It’s three in the morning and your first message of the day is a block of Trussian text in Trollichum.

 

\--slipperySleuth[SS] began trolling timaeusTestified[TT]!--

 

SS: ‘Incident Type: Public Indecency. Public Disturbance. Witness: Andrea Perez: Security Guard. Female, 45, Derse-Canzian. At approximately 2:17, an unidentified female was discovered by Andrea Perez. The unidentified female was in her undergarments, sitting in mud, and speaking in an unknown foreign language. There were no other suspects nearby. Suspect did not respond to verbal or physical interaction. There were no personal items or anything identifying the suspect. At 2:37 Officer Johnson and Officer Caegar arrived on the scene and detained the suspect. Suspect is 5’4” 294 lbs. Suspect may be Shongolian-Germanium or Shongolian-Trussian. Blonde hair. Lavender eyes. No other physical mutations. Estimated age between 17 and 19. Suspect fingerprints and retinal scans were captured and sent to forensics lab. Suspect was sent to New Jack City General for medical treatment. New Jack City General confirmed unknown toxic substance in suspect bloodstream.’

TT: There’s no report on the fingerprints?

SS: No. If she’s hasn’t committed a crime in the past she wouldn’t be on record.

TT: What about retscan?

SS: Retscans take a few hours for a positive ID. If she hasn’t been in the system recently, it wouldn’t show up. Same as fingerprints. The ‘Trussian’ part is why I think it would be of interest to you.

SS: As for the toxic substance in the blood stream, I don’t know what that could be but I have a few hints considerin’ the babblin’ and lack of  surroundin’ awareness. Reminds me of a drug back home that wouldn’t be in the NJPD files.

TT: Has anyone else looked at this report?

SS: Johnson filed it while Caegar took the girl to the hospital. They’re both straight far as I can tell and its early in the mornin’ so none of the corrupt fucks are here yet.

TT: Alright. Thank you for this. I’ll get check into it.  

SS: Remember our deal.

TT: Right.

 

\--timaeusTestified ceased trolling slipperySleuth[SS]!--

 

\--timaeusTestified began trolling tipsyGnostic[TG]!--

 

TT: Roxy, sau surt lauonau ee?

TG: oh gods shongolian

TG: its way too early for that

TT: Just making sure you were you.

TG: why would i not be me?

TT: You never know.

TG: fair point but its three in the morning

TG: oh god something happened didnt it

TG: im not even awake yet and something terribles happened

TG: fml

TT: Calm down.

TG: fecr sau dirk!

TG: tauozaun naumauoj rhult lilirhjüo

TG: bes sirhoilkit lauojauau lürh süolk kaurauau

TT: At least you still remember the language you were raised with. Profanity and all.

TG: just give me the bad news

TT: An informant just told me the police have someone in custody that matches Rose’s description.

TG: are you sure?

TT: There are not many lavender eyed Shongolians in New Jack with blonde hair. We both know blonde hair is rare among Shongolians in general.

TG: fuck

TG: whats her condition and where is she

TT: She’s currently at New Jack General. There’s an unknown toxin in her body so she may have been drugged. She had no ID on her so when the retscan comes in, you’re going to get a call.

TT: You cannot go to the hospital. You have to tell the police that you’re afraid to leave your home and Rose’s legal obligations will be placed under a legal guardian. And for Rose’s safety, you have to put her name under ‘Melrose Strider’ or something with the surname ‘Strider’.

TG: …

TG: what

TT: I’m still listed as Rose’s emergency contact in lieu of you, aren’t I? I can go there and help her while you stay put. If you’re afraid you can legally request to have Rose’s name be different on the hospital roster to protect her. Make up some bullshit about an angry ex-boyfriend or husband who’ll kill you both, or some Shongolian superstition. Anything to get them to change the name.

TG: no no no

TG: back up

TG: you wake me up at three in the morning and tell my daughter is in the hospital drugged by gods knows who and then you say i have to stay in my trailer away from my child like a good little wife?

TG: just who in the fuck do you think you are?

TT: Oh my gods.

TT: Do not make this an issue of sexism when I’m trying to protect our daughter.

TG: im not im telling you how youre coming off in that youre coming off like a bossy asshole to someone whose daughter has been victimized

TG: first off dirk she is not “our daughter”

TG: there is no “our daughter” because there is no “we” and there is no “us”

TG: i raised her i cared for her and you wanted nothing to do with her because YOU couldnt get your shit together

TG: shes MY daughter

TG: the only thing YOU supplied was genetic material

TG: so i suggest you find a better way to get me to agree because so far you are doing a shitty job of convincing me not to see her

TT: …okay, fuck it. Let’s…talk about this in person.

TG: fine

 

\-- timaeusTestified[TT] ceased trolling tipsyGnostic[TG]! --

 

In all your time apart, you’ve forgotten the most crucial rule: never come between a Shongolian and their child, or they’ll have your guts for garters. Now you have to figure out how to win her over again. You may need back up on this.

You slide off the bed and scour the darkness for your pants.

“Something wrong, love?” Jake asks.

“I have to go. Might not be back until later.” you sigh. “ _Much_ later.”

“Be safe,” Jake yawns, not stirring, “and your pants are on the right side of the bed.”

You find the black jeans, and then go to your husband. You kiss him, smiling, “Where would I be without you?”

“Dead.” Jake responds, grinning.

He’s never going to let you forget that. You kiss him again before you leave.

Early Sunday morning in the trailer park is peaceful. Those who aren’t working are sleeping in late, not yet rousing themselves for church. Weekend third shift employees are returning home. You descend the outside stairs, boots squelching on the soggy lawn. Autumn in the UTC east coast is wet, soggy and muggy until November hurricane season passes.

Across the street, the light is on in Kankri’s trailer. Kankri always had a more amicable relationship with Roxy than you ever did. Now that he’s clear headed, he seems like the right person to bring along. You go to the Vantas-Pyrope trailer, knock at the door, and a minute later Kankri answers. He’s wearing a long shirt that’s an inch above his knees, munching on a wedge of cheese. The summer’s changed him in subtle ways. He no longer walked around with his head down. He was gradually losing weight now that he had increased his activity, either working on the derby car with Meenah and Karkat or jogging around the neighborhood on the odd occasion.

“You must have some clue as to what time it is because I don’t plan on being very cordial.” He says.

“I need a favor.” you say in Old Alternian.

Kankri sighs and lets you into the trailer. He’s maintained its cleanliness since Terezi barely moves these days. “A favor for the great Strider? I’m honored. What is it?”

“I need you to help me convince Roxy not to see Rose and to… cooperate with me. She has to stay in her trailer.”

“What’s going on?” You give him the barebones of the situation and Kankri frowns, “So, you need me to auspitize.”

“Its not auspisticism.” It is, but the idea of Roxy and you being in an out-of-control pitch romance turns your stomach for some reason.

“Call it mediation, call it auspisticism. Either or I’m helping Roxy and you not strangle each other.” Kankri pauses, “Why me and not Jane?”

“I’d rather not involve Jane…” You think Jane would side with Roxy or volunteer to see Rose.

“And Jake?”

“Jake is…” You don’t want to put him in the crossfire either. “Occupied.”

“I see.” Kankri walks to his bedroom, “Alright, but if there’s furniture throwing, I reserve the right to tape it and send it to Troll Maury.” You don’t respond and Kankri laughs from the room, “It’s a joke, Dirk.”

You’re not in a laughing mood so Kankri doesn’t make any more jokes. You walk in silence to Roxy’s trailer and let Kankri knock at the door.

Roxy answers, wearing a sheer silk nightgown. “Kankri? Its three in the…” She sees you then, “ _Oh_. I see.”

“Dirk thinks things would go over better if I was here to help translate.” Kankri says, innocently.

Roxy looks unhappy but lets you inside. You’ve never been inside her trailer so you take in the design scheme. It’s quaint, using lattice walls to separate areas and insulated windows. She’s expanded her entertainment system. It’s eerie in the ways it reminds you of your old shared apartment.

Roxy sits on her couch and pets a large tomcat. “All I want is Rose to be safe and comfortable. Being drugged is scary.” You think she’s speaking from experience but won’t ask it. She glares at you, adding, “You’re not the comforting type.”

She’s not wrong in that assessment. Kankri suggests, “What about John? Isn’t he in town?”

That’s the last person you want around Rose. “They broke up.”

“She never stopped thinking about him.” Roxy smiles sadly, “She hasn’t thrown away the things he gave her, and he’s been trying to talk to her. I can tell Jane about Rose and she could tell John. It might be easier to hear it from her.”

In all good negotiations, you give a little ground to reach an equal point. You let this pass and steady yourself and deal with adolescents and their complicated feelings. Then you realize: why should you criticize adolescents and their feelings? You’re thirty-something and feelings are still complicated. One of life’s lies is that certain things are not made easier with time.

A plan is formed between the three of you, sharing knowledge back and forth. Kankri is still his father’s son. He has the blood of a leader in him and it surges when he’s confident. Karkat is no different. After the plan is formed, you leave Kankri with Roxy. Kankri is optimistic as you leave, saying “It’ll be alright.” It gives you no comfort. He remains with Roxy and you leave the trailer.

Its five now and the sky is a dark blue and overcast, promising rain that won’t offset the swampy humidity. At your trailer, Karkat, Dave, and Jade are already awake. The windows and doors are open so the trailer must be sweltering. They’re eating breakfast watching TV. You walk through the open door.  

“—don’t think I could ever do it.” Dave says.

“You deal with my dick all the time.” Karkat says.

“Your dick looks like a Bad Dragon toy. It’s not like a dog dick that’s, y’know, _on a_ _fucking_ _dog_.” Dave answers.

“It’s not like you’ve never seen a dog dick.” Jade says.

“Seeing it is different than having it inside of you or rubbing against you.” Dave says.

Karkat smirks, “You know you like it. You always lean into it when I do that.”

“I’m _half_ _awake_ when you do that!” Dave insists, flustered.

“What kind of conversation have I walked into?” you ask.

“There was a news report about illegal body augmentations on the rise,” Jade explains, “and this group in Dadlas are fighting the bans. Their leader is a guy who has a dog dick augmentation.”

“… _why_.” is your comment at all of that.

“They call themselves realfurs, and they want to become the ‘anthropomorphized creatures’ they’ve always been on the inside.” Karkat rolls his eyes. “A bunch of weirdoes.”

“Says the troll in a polyamorous relationship with a hipster and a furry.” Dave says.

“I am not a furry.” Jade says.

“Your deviantART says different.” Dave answers. Jade blushes and hit him in the shoulder. He winces because Jade has knuckles like lead even if it’s a love tap.  

“Good to see you three have learned to live together.” you say, “You ready for school tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but not looking forward to mandatory home ec.” Dave sighs.

“It’s not like those skills of balancing budgets and changing diapers are going to go to _waste_.” Jade points out.

“What’s up, Dirk? You’re just standing there staring into space.” Karkat asks, “Well, I’m assuming you’re staring cause I can’t see your eyes.”

“It’s… nothing. Have a good day.”

You leave the trailer before they can give you those collective looks of worry. You can’t admit it’s difficult seeing them together. Having their disagreements but still sharing a space; held together by glue of mutual affection and friendship. It reminds you of simpler days in Leder, sitting in the Harlequin Bakery or in the back of Nate’s hole in the wall church and grocery store. You’d talk politics with Meenah or watch the joy spread on Gamzee and Feferi’s faces whenever you brought toys or books. Hand-me-downs of course but gods they were grateful for them. Jane and Johnny always had baked goods: scones, brownies, muffins, and cookies. Always sweet and free of charge for good friends.

Your chest aches. Its an old pain. The hurt of realizing the past can never be returned to outside of a bitter memory.

 

* * *

 

John and you don’t talk on the ride to the hospital. When you arrive, the doctor and nurses are sympathetic and insist Rose will be fine. Their words do not keep your heart from sinking to the bottom of your stomach when you see Rose lying in the hospital bed. They assure you that although she’s unconscious now, she’ll be fine and her brain activity is normal.

It gives you no comfort. Your thoughts linger on the long aborted subject: What would her life have been like if you’d been closer? If you had insisted on being a part of her life? Would she be here in this bed?

The nurses assure you that the toxin will be purged from her body. It takes time. It’ll be fine. Don’t look so morose! She’s a strong girl. They’ve seen worse (apparently). You consider the mental scars though and the possibility of a lingering hunger for the sweet juju. Jake’s told you his experiences. It didn’t take him much to get addicted.

“When you’re under the juju, everything is different. Everything is musical.” Jake had said, “Everything grey was pink and every boarder contained something edible and sweet. Every problem was easily solved and uncomplicated. The world unwound into delicious, smooth idiocy.”

He made the escape it brought sound so appealing. Would Rose be able to resist the lure, remembering what she had to return to in life?

Leaving the hospital, John is tense. Angry. You don’t know what to say because you’re not his father, so he’s silent until you return to the car. Neither of you want to stay long as there’s nothing you can do for Rose. Nothing to do but wait.

“Who did this to her?” he asks.

You don’t want him to get involved. “I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.” John says, “You always know what’s going on, and you’re keeping it hidden from me.” He bites his bottom lip, “Things got messed up between Rose and me because I was an idiot. I want to be there for her now.”

This isn’t just heartache and trying to cover up mistakes. This is mortal peril; a sticky web of possible fatality. John staying attached to Rose paints a bull’s-eye on his chest. Do you want more innocent blood on your hands? “How much does she means to you? Is Rose your girl, or someone you love? Would you be unable to live without her if she permanently disappeared?”

“I missed her every day when I was on tour.” John says.

“How far would you go for her? Would you put your life on the line to keep her safe? Would you shoot someone that would hurt her? Would you lie to the police and everyone you know for her? Would you keep twisted secrets for her?” 

“Of course I would.” John says, without pause, “I would do anything to keep her safe. Even if she doesn’t want me as her boyfriend, I’d still help because Rose is my friend and I’d do anything to keep my friends and family safe.”

John won’t back down no matter how much pressure you apply. You start the car. “Then you’re going to need my help.”

You take the long way home as you talk to John. When you return to your trailer, you’re exhausted. You climb into bed and remain motionless. Jake doesn’t disturb you. He peeks into the bedroom every hour just to make sure you’re alright. You lie in bed and don’t sleep. Around ten o’ clock, he lies next to you and pulls you close.

“She’s going to be fine, Dirk.” He says.

“What if she’s not?” you ask.

“Don’t dwell on the negative, love.”

He kisses your forehead and melts away your tension. You’ll never understand how he can do that.


	2. small memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a picture of a dead body. There's no maggots or anything like that but still. - badAquatic

A nightmare wakes you from warm sleep. Jake is holding onto you so you have to carefully sit away. You sit on the trailer stairs and look at the sky, which is yet to turn blue. The night is clear and there are no stars; just a grey-green haze from the light pollution and smog.

You still haven’t told Dave what happened. Its better he hear it from John, Jade, or Karkat. It’s easier to hear bad news from a friend or lover. You remain on the steps, watching the sky become bluer and the activity in the trailers increase. Jade remains at home to take online classes (there was a week of loud arguing to get her to agree to that) while Dave and Karkat walk to the bus. They’ve been saving up for a car all summer. You debate about helping them pay for it. You admire their strong work ethic but you think that money should go elsewhere.   

Jake is still asleep because he’ll never be a morning person. He’ll get up (eventually) and in the afternoon you’re off to investigate a summer camp at Berezin Lake.

You leave the trailer for Tchouchev Street and head to Sergei’s bar. Inside, Sergei is inspecting some of the older vodka bottles for quality. You tell him you want to talk but you want to take it upstairs for privacy. That and you don’t want to halt his business.

“Being out of sight will just encourage those rumormongers.” Sergei says, but you scowl. He leads you from the bar and into the apartments above.  

For such a bombastic personality, Sergei’s apartment is small and bare. It’s one room with a tiny kitchenette and bathroom. The doorway’s narrow because of the kitchenette and you almost trip over a fragrant laundry bundle. There’s no dining, just two mismatched chairs near a small table. There’s also a TV, a ZG3 with two controllers and a single game case. Equally questionable is the squeeze bottle of honey on the small kitchenette counter and the pizza box folded into the garbage.  

Sergei boils tea and sits on the bare bed, while you sit on a chair across from it. “What is so secretive that you want to talk in private?”

“Rose was found by the police in Summoner Park. Currently she’s listed under the name Melrose Strider in New Jack General. What’s the word on the street?”

“Ah. The Lalonde girl.” Sergei leans back, “The Cherubs and the Brotherhood were cementing a deal but things have suddenly cooled. No definite details yet but word is Cherubs are looking for someone. No specifics on the identity yet.”

“Why keep it secret? I thought they had an alliance with the Brotherhood.”

“If someone else found something the Cherubs wanted, they would have an upper hand. The Brotherhood’s only chummy with them because they want to get rid of the UBK but once the UBK are taken care of it, they’ll turn on each other.”

“So you don’t think the Cherubs will call in outside help?”

“From what we’ve gathered, the Cherubs do not like outside help. I think what happened was an embarrassing mistake. Something they don’t want well known by other members.”

“Is there a reason the Cherubs would let Rose know damaging information?”

“I doubt she learned it on purpose. The two existing reports on the Cherubs said they used legal fronts to lure in young people desperate for options. Then they’re slowly isolated. It’s likely that the Lalonde girl got a whiff of something rotten downwind like the others but kept quiet. Or…” Sergei shrugs. “It could be a fluke. One of the reports got out because a girl escaped because she had made a ‘friend’.”

“The Green Girl Report. Yes, I’ve read it.” It had been drafted in Young Britain, fifteen years ago, when the strangled body of a rustblood girl had been found in a ditch. There was no ID on the body and no one came forward with information so she’d been called The Green Girl. Until three years ago when an elderly rustblood in Raffil came forward, identifying the girl as her daughter. Her daughter had won a folklore scholarship and went to Young Britain to work. For a while they had communicated but the mother long suspected that her daughter worked for unsavory people, as all her letters were tampered with and locations censored. The daughter insisted the censorship was for ‘security reasons’ and that there was nothing to worry about as she had made a very good ‘friend’ with a coworker. The last letter said the daughter would introduce the mother to the ‘friend’, who was implied to be a matesprit. A week later, the daughter was found dead. The mother had known her daughter was dead but feared speaking up. A few days after the mother’s confession had been written, she was found hanged in her apartment. It’d been ruled a suicide by the police and the matter investigated no further.  

 

Sergei is staring at you, concerned. You’ve been silent for too long, lost in your thoughts as you recount the report. The black and white photos of the rustblood’s body. Putrefaction had settled in by its discovery. The Leland’s Pass Report had been worse. Your stomach lurches. It was a good idea to skip breakfast.

“Dirk,” Sergei says, gently, “you’re my brother. I will always support you.”

What does he mean? That you can talk to him about your worries? The sentiment doesn’t improve the knot in your stomach. It’s been years since you were called ‘brother’ in the sense Sergei intends.

“We can put the Lalonde girl in a safe house in Becquerel or Galina.” Sergei suggests.

You shake your head. “I want her to be close so I can keep an eye on her.”

“There is Natryosha’s safe house near Castle Vantas. Last time I talked to Oksana, they had room for two more people.”

You hate dealing with Natryosha. She’s nosy and will use the favor as leverage for her own plans. Still, she had a soft spot for teenagers in trouble and Rose wouldn’t come to harm under her and Oksana’s watch.

“The Cherubs are sneaky. If what she knows is precious, they will not give her up without a fight.”

“They can bring one to my doorstep. I’m more than prepared to deal with them.”

The tea whistles and Sergei goes to it. He pours a cup straight, no sugar as usual. “Count me in then.” He sips from the steaming cup, smirking, “You know me, Strider. I _love_ a good war.”

“Speaking of love, tell me more about Dom.”

Sergei sputters on his tea. So much for his big dramatic moment about loving war. His cheek turn dusky red _. “W-what?”_

“Two chairs. One that’s yours and one’s that very different so that’s obviously _his_ chair. There’s honey on the counter from when he was here as you’re not fond of sweets. The laundry bundle in the doorway is big and your bed’s bare so it must be the sheets, and I know what troll genetic fluids smell like. And lastly, you’re embarrassed.”

Sergei fidgets. “It’s nothing serious. We’re friends. We’ve been friends for a long time.”

“You’re like Karkat.” you sigh, “When you love someone, you don’t know what to do with yourself.”

Sergei doesn’t argue with you. The truth goes both ways as you were the same way with Jake.

* * *

 

The drive to Berezin Lake is long. You fall asleep on the way there and don’t wake up until you’re at Berezin Lake Youth Camp. It’s a miserable place to send a child. The main camp’s section of the lake is choked with seaweed so they took the dock out. The tennis court is overgrown with tall grass and two of the cabins have fallen in; the third looks so shoddily built you think even Jake would shirk to spend a night in there.

“We used to be an overnight camp, but not anymore.” The groundskeeper makes a sweeping gesture to the camp’s state, “Now we’re just a day camp but we got a serious problem.”

The problem was bats. Giant lusus-hybrid bats with two-year-old intelligence, sharp claws, and poison fangs. The camp had ignored the bats, putting up warning signs for campers and the bats had kept to themselves until recently, when they became snapping and territorial. Their home was in a large alcove under the dining hall where the laundry room for the entire camp used to be. Now the bats had escaped into the dining hall.

“It must be close to rutting season so they’re not going to be the friendliest.” Jake figures.

“I want in there briefly. They did _this_.” The groundskeeper points to his leg, as he was leaning on a crutch. “They’re squatted all over the kitchen, the halls… it’s a mess and a biohazard. They won’t let us open the camp until something’s done. We offer a lunch program here since we’re out in the sticks. No McDonalds or Carlos Maraca’s until you hit the city.”

You think the camp is beyond saving, but work is work. Jake and you enter the dining hall and you’re not accosted by bats, they’re nocturnal and sluggish until evening, you are, however, assaulted by the stench. There’s guano everywhere but it doesn’t turn your stomach. You’ve smelled worse and out here in the sticks, farmers will shrug and scrape it up for their fields and fuel converters. You have to take pains to turn a hick’s stomach.

The light is dim in the dining room so you have flashlights. The ceiling is covered with hanging bats, deep in sleep. 

“Bloody hell. Get a look of that sucker.” Jake whispers, shining a flashlight on the largest bat. It’s flecked with black, white, and grey. You estimate the wingspan at fifteen feet and weight at twenty pounds. An alpha female. “You think we could tame it?”

You frown. “We are not getting a pet bat, Jake.”    

“But it looks so cool.”

“It’s a wild animal. We had this conversation about the gator, the giant crab, and the bear. And we already have two animals.”

“Those are Jade and Karkat’s pets. I want a pet.”

“It will eat our kid.”

“Will not.”

The alpha female opens her eyes and looks down at you. Animals don’t change their facial expressions but you have a sudden understanding that she’s not happy about the wake up. The other bats start to wake up and squeak. Some descend from the ceiling, flapping aimlessly in alarm.

Jake checks one of his guns. “I have tranqs and lethals, but you _know_ …” He grins, “I could just wrestle her into submission and the others would leave.”

“How are you going to wrestle a bat?”

Jake blinks. “The same way I‘d wrestle a gator.”

“Do not wrestle the bat, Jake.”

“I’m only mentioning it as flying things can be difficult _to shoot from time to time!_ ”

Jake has to shout the last part of his sentence because the alpha female gives a loud warning screech. The rest of the bats are screeching too, though it’s like a kitten mewing with a lion. The others are five to six feet across and some of them are bumping into the hanging lights. The lights rock and threaten to fall. Knowing the craftsmanship of this camp so far, you would not be surprised if this entire place suddenly decided to topple.

 _Do not wrestle the bat, Jake.”_ though you have to shout it over the screeching. 

“What’s that, love? Can’t hear you!”

You don’t know if he’s mocking you or not. The alpha female swoops down, screeching a battle cry. You let Jake focus on dealing with her while you skewer the bats trying to gang up on you. Jake fires a bullet at the alpha female, but she swivels out of the way. The bullet goes whizzing through the dining hall, smashing something in the back. She dives at Jake, head lowered.

“Look out!” you shout.

The alpha female rams Jake in the chest before he can get a second shot out. You see him grab onto the dense mane around the alpha female’s throat and hold on. The alpha female seems momentarily confused by this large man holding onto her and forgets about the flimsy dining room wall. Jake and her go smashing through it, splinters of cheap grey wood flying.

You rush to the hole. _“Jake!”_

Jake is laughing though, arms around the alpha female’s throat. The alpha female is strong enough to glide three feet off the ground but not enough to be airborne. She drags him down the dirt road from the dining hall, skittering and flapping like a drunken hummingbird. Jake seems entertained by the concept of being carried off like a child or a small dog.

A child. You are married to a grown child. Of course if you had issue with that, you wouldn’t have married him in the first place. You leap through the hole in the front of dining room and go chasing after them. The groundskeeper stands nearby, guffawing. The alpha female is frantically trying to dislodge Jake by snapping at his face.

“Whoa there, girlie!” Jake laughs.

The alpha female has glided down to the weedy lakeshore, so Jake digs his heels into the wet sand. He bends back and pulls a suplex on the alpha female. The she-bat screeches, sensitive nose hitting the dense wet sand.

By the time you got to Jake’s side, he had the beast in a headlock. Its nose is bleeding and it’s looking angrier by the second. Jake, as usual, takes the anger in good humor. “Whoa there, girlie! Still snapping huh?”

“At least you’re having fun.” You look back at the dining hall and see the other bats are evacuating into the air. “We’ll have to go back and root the others out. Make sure they all leave.”

“Easy enough. We’ve got plenty of repellant. What about this little miss?” Jake tilts his head to the snarling she bat, “We could sell her to the fair zoo.”

“They’ve got enough sick and starved.”

“Fair enough.” and Jake snaps the alpha female’s neck.

You couldn’t allow the alpha female to stay alive. She’d roost back in the dining hall. Best to let the colony scatter and forming into smaller, manageable clusters. Jake places the alpha female’s body in a cooler for future taxidermy.

You clear out the rest of the bats with aereosol lusus repellant, shooting or skewering the more stubborn ones. The dining room is not as bad as the laundry room though. Years worth of guano on everything and alpha males. They’re not as big as the alpha female but just as pesky. You have to wear masks for the spray and small mothball sacks you pelt the larger ones with.

“You boys clean up quick.” the groundskeeper laughs when you’re done with the job. “Would’ve taken me days to get that done.” He’s not going to complain about the damage to the dining room. Not when it was ratty to begin with.

“That’s why you hired us.” Jake laughs.

You’re both tired, aching, and smell, but seeing the check makes it worth it. You’ve completed the task by early evening so the groundskeeper invites you to stay. The nearest quality motel is at the border of South New Jack. You take up the offer and the groundskeeper returns to his cottage down the road.

With everything going on, you need time out of the city, even if it’s for a day.

The waterfront’s too weedy for swimming or fishing, so you explore where the weeds peter out. A quarter mile from the main campgrounds and over a hillock, you find clear water. Guano is still a biohazard so you haul buckets of water to the small camp you set up. You shuck off your clothes and wash what you can. In boxers, you get out the nets and catch crawfish in the shallow water. The crawfish bucket is two thirds full when Jake notices something.

“Look over there. Smoke and boats too.” He points to the other side of the lake where you see blocky grey homes on the lakeshore, with twelve paned windows and sail-like fabrics hanging from roofs. The colors are hemopatterned: red striped with yellow or blue spotted with purple. “It looks like a little farmer’s community.”

“They could be Altish. You find them here and there.” You see two boats on the lake shore and what could be trolls pulling up nets. “They won’t approach us unless we’re buying bread or trading meat.”

“I bet they’d invite us for dinner if we approached, being weary travelers and all. I heard Altish meals are the best.”

“They’re only friendly to travelling trolls. They butter them up with free meals so they’ll be willing to ‘contribute’ to the community gene pool. On top of that, they’ll most likely only speak Alternian.”

“Only Alternian? Places still speak that?”

“Places that have a high density of trolls. Epsilon is riddled with Altish so they speak Old and New. Trussian schools teach New only, but if you get higher education you have the option to learn Old. If you’re in a bigoted place like Leder or Raffil, it’s illegal to speak any form of it.”

“What a place. With such rules, they were bound for disaster.”

You can’t agree more. You boil the crawfish and watch the sky light up with stars you can only see here. After eating what feels like your weight in crawfish, you lay on a sleeping bag with Jake.

“Isn’t Berezin a tributary off the Ironic?” Jake asks.

“Yeah.”

“Ironic’s a strange name for a river. And there’s another called Bathos?”

“Yeah.”

“Dirk.” Jake nudges you and you look at him, and he’s giving you his worried puppy eyes. “Have a lot on your mind?”

You look back to the sky. “Am I that transparent?”

“You’ve been ‘guarding’ your body language all day. You only do that when you’re afraid. You’d turn into a statue if you could.”  

“I’d be just as useful if I was a statue. I can only help people after they’re in danger. I can never prevent it.”

“You can’t see the future, Dirk, and that doesn’t mean what you do goes unappreciated. Karkat looks up to you after what you did.”

“He shouldn’t.”

“Rose has always liked you.” You stare at him and Jake runs his callused fingers over your shoulder. “I’m not _that_ oblivious, love. We’ve been married for ten years.”

“You must have questions.”

“I know she’s your daughter and I have no quarrel with that. Honestly, that’s the first thing I figured out about you!” You frown and he backs up, “Roxy’s behavior told me. I recognize annoyed ex-spouse behavior when I see it. Then I saw Rose and it made sense. Shongolian eyes, Trussian hair, body, facial build, lighter skin…”

He’s abashed to admit he’s observed so much; afraid you’ll pull away from him. He takes your hand and kisses it. You don’t pull away from him. You don’t stop yourself from shivering when you feel his lips on your scarred hand.

“At least our daughters ended up friends.” he says, smiling.

“You could’ve said something romantic to make me swoon.”

“Actions speak louder than words, love.”

Jake slides the shades off your face and kisses you. In that astern part of your brain where all the fears and anxieties live, you still fear losing him. It makes you want him more. Makes you never want to forget the alkaline aftertaste of sucking his cock or the tension of being inside of him. You love him.

You don’t ever want to let him go.  


	3. epilogue: duplication

uesday is draining and the urgency of its events feel like a punch in the face. You’re thankful to come home and cuddle Jake. Your iHusk doesn’t vibrate until one in the morning, but you’ve been waiting for this correspondence all day.

 

\--tipsyGnostic[TG] began trolling timaeusTestified[TT]!--

 

TG: so i finally got through what was on roses computer

TG: shes totes gonna be pissed when she finds out we copied her hard drive btw :P

TT: She’ll thank us when someone tries to sabotage the original files. What’d you find?

TG: well i got copies of all her trollichum convos with that slime scrate

TG: scrates got the handle “scratchDoctor” and then theres “unsightlyUmbra” that belongs to a callie ohpeee who apparently lives with scrate

TT: Sounds like an alias. What’s their relation to Scrate?

TG: idk rose seems to consider scrate her father but callie says hes just a caretaker she could be his daughter

TG: apparently she knows enough about scrate to have met other protégés as he calls them but doesnt seem to know what happens to them

TT: Interesting.

TG: from what i gathered callies not permitted outside she seems highly intelligent but doesnt know much about the outside world and learns everything from a computer that scrate supposedly does not have access to but who knows if thats true

TT: That’s worth exploring. What about the conversations between Rose and Scrate?

TG: convos with scrate and rose are mostly short and sweet a lot of talk about horrorterror mythos i think scrate fancies himself an eldritch cultist :P

TT: Oh great. One of those.

TG: scrate mentions the handles of his bodyguard joan as giftedGladius and a cal (talentedTroublemaker)

TT: If this is the same person, then Cal is Jade’s twin brother.

TG: jade has a twin brother :?

TT: Yes. According to Jade he must have cybernetic limbs as he was born with extreme dysmelia.

TG: dysmelia :?

TT: A congenital disorder of the limbs most likely caused by the sweet juju in Joan’s system, which is a teratogenic drug.

TG: yeesh D:

TG: how is jade not heavily mutated?

TT: I’m not a human geneticist so I couldn’t tell you all the details. For now, we can say Jade was the lucky one and only lacks physical mutations. She could still have genetic damage.

TG: but shes pregnant

TT: Yes. Dave and her have stalled genescreening but they’ll be forced to do it during the final trimester. I don’t think either of them wants to know what could go wrong. What could be wrong.  

TG: poor kids :(

TT: Anything about what Rose was working on?

TG: theres no doc copies i dont think scrate lets her take anything from work home but theres notes she made for herself about work like what to mail and when it had to be mailed by things she couldnt get done that day and didnt want to forget its all on her huskpad

TG: theres also net searches about how to write formal letters and map searches of where they were going guess she was curious

TT: Where were the delivers?

TG: some of them were sent to the squalor but most of them were addressed to the prison warden at amethyst

TT: Sn0wman.

TG: you know them?

TT: Vaguely. Can you send me a copy of everything?

TG: sure

TG: --tipsyGnostic sent Rosedocs6.rar!--

TT: How did Jane take the news about John?

TG: better than i thought shes not surprised lil john wants to protect rose

TT: I thought she would be angry at me.

TG: dirk

TG: jane doesnt blame you for what happened to johnny or her father or leder even

TG: and meenah doesnt blame for what happened to nate

TG: nobody blames you

TT: They said they hated me. Especially Jane. Just her face back then.

TG: dirk it was a tense situation she didnt mean it

TG: it took her a long time to get over what happened to johnny and meenahs the same

TG: and yeah i know i did scapegoat you for a while even though i didnt say it

TG: well im sorry for doing that it wasnt your fault things spiraled out of control

TT: I could have told you what was happening but I didn’t. So, it’s my fault too for keeping you in the dark and not being supportive enough. And it took me eighteen years to say I was sorry because that’s how much of a loser I am.

TG: i think

TG: i think its because enough time has passed where we can actually talk about things again without feeling the pain

TG: and i forgive you

TG: you should try to talk to jane you were really close once

TG: dont wait eighteen more years to talk to her again

TT: I could try. I guess. 

TT: Rose is asking about Leder. I’m debating about telling her.

TG: really?  

TT: Still thinking it over.

TG: what about dave?

TT: I don’t know.

TG: dirk you cant keep him in the dark forever.

TT: I don’t think he’d react to it well and I don’t think its worth it for him to know. He doesn’t remember what happened and even if I explain everything to him and it goes over well…

TT: I…

TT: I think it would still hurt.

TG: of course its gonna hurt but thats why we have family

TG: family makes the pain go away faster

TT: I assume that’s how families function as I’ve never had a biological one.

TG: dirk you should know by now that just because youre related doesnt make you a family

TG: i think were proof that blood relations dont automatically guarantee love

TT: That’s true.

TG: and youre gonna have your grub soon :)

TG: are you getting it as an egg or a grub :?

TT: When it hatches. She wants to keep the twins together for as long as possible.

TT: Its not like she’s never going to see them again. She lives across the street. I’m sure she’ll visit.

TG: you live with her possible dad

TT: Time will tell if she’s related to Karkat.

TG: if theyre mouthy theyre karkats XD

TT: Heh.

 

“Your eyes are watery, Dirk.” Jake murmurs, half awake.

“Must be allergies.” You kiss him, “It’ll be our anniversary soon. Any plans?”

“We could go camping.” Jake yawns.

“We always go camping.”

Jake smiles and whispers, “In all my years of youthful splendor and extravagance, I never thought I would be happy just camping with you.”

“You’re not getting anymore sex tonight.”  

“Blast. I wasted my best line.”

“They never go wasted.” You kiss him again and move closer to him, feeling his warmth against your body.

 

 


End file.
